You’ll look long and hard to find a dog in the small hatch class these days. When even former ne’er-do-goods like the Kia Cerato are now genuinely desirable, you know there’s something right about the mainstream car world in 2019.

It doesn’t matter which region your hatch hails from any more either. Prejudice against South Korea’s finer product is now about as relevant as anything Bruce Ruxton ever said, as the current Hyundai i30 proves – especially the turbocharged SR. Updated and rebranded as i30 N-Line, it’s joined here by its all-new sister-from-another-mister, the Kia Cerato GT, complete with the same 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged engine growling away up front.

For similar money, you could also have Ford’s reborn Focus in ST-Line trim. This fresh-from-the-ground-up, fourth-generation Focus debuts not only the Blue Oval’s new C2 platform but an intriguing 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine family, attached to a first-in-class eight-speed automatic transmission. And unlike the previous generation, which switched from German to Thai production sourcing in 2012 – to the detriment of interior quality – the new Focus is proudly Kraut-built in Cologne.

It’s chief European rival, and long-time class benchmark, is Volkswagen’s evergreen Golf. The existing Mk7.5 generation will be upstaged by an all-new Mk8 before the year’s out, but even at six-and-a-half years old, the current Golf remains the small car to beat. While the 110TSI Comfortline doesn’t have the sports tuning of its Ford, Hyundai and Kia price-point rivals, its overall excellence should prove that fancy trainers do not make a track-and-field star.

Finally, there’s the best-seller – Toyota’s perky new Corolla. It’s finally good enough to challenge the Golf head-on, and definitely cool enough in range-topping ZR form to look the part among its pseudo-sporty rivals. And it has dynamic panache, which is a revelation for anything wearing a Corolla badge.

Among this talented five-some, there isn’t a single hatch we wouldn’t proudly take home. However there’s good, and then there’s really good, and it’s the latter that the new Focus, new Cerato, i30 and Corolla need to be if they’re gonna knock the standard-setting Golf off its perch.

How do they compare on price?

At this level (around $30K), it’s reasonable to expect more than just a fairly basic hatch, though some fulfil that brief better than others.

The Focus ST-Line is also competitive for gear, especially with the relatively affordable $1250 Driver Assistance Pack included (blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert with active braking, and adaptive cruise control with stop and go, in conjunction with all the usual active-safety kit). It doesn’t get electric front seats or leather trim but both chairs are height adjustable (missing from the left-front seat in the Kia), with rubberised dials for infinite tweaking of backrest rake and lumbar support. Auto-folding heated mirrors with puddle lighting, tyre-pressure monitoring, four auto up/down windows (driver-only in the Kia) and wireless phone charging are also along for the ride, but smaller 17-inch alloys, no front parking sensors, no front-seat heating/cooling and no rear-seat air vents mean it can’t meet the Cerato GT eyeball to eyeball.

Neither can the (cheaper) i30 N-Line. What the Hyundai concentrates on is mimicking its hot-hatch i30 N big brother, with all the visual toughening that entails – a muscular bodykit, 18-inch alloys, red seatbelts and huggy (non-electric) perforated-leather front buckets. It also hits the mark with power-folding heated mirrors, wireless phone charging, embedded sat-nav and rear-seat air vents, but only its driver’s window gets an auto-down function (not even back up again!), there’s no height adjustment for the front passenger’s seat and no front parking sensors either.

The Golf 110TSI Comfortline isn’t even Volkswagen’s top model – there’s still the $6K-dearer Highline above it – but it nails the basics. It matches the Focus for (all-manual) front-seat adjustability and includes 17-inch alloys, keyless entry and start, four auto up/down windows, dual-zone climate control, rear-seat air vents and embedded sat-nav, though you need to add a $1500 Driver Assistance package to gain adaptive cruise control, lane assist, traffic-jam assist, emergency assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear traffic alert and park assist, among other bits and pieces.

With optional metallic paint ($495), the Hyundai i30 N-Line with seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is the most affordable hatch here, just sneaking under 30 grand ($29,985) before on-road costs. The Toyota Corolla ZR is next at $30,820 before on-roads, barely undercutting the Ford Focus ST-Line ($30,890, though our test car’s superb full-size glass sunroof adds $2000 to that tally).

Next in pure base dollars, the Volkswagen Golf 110TSI Comfortline starts at $30,190, though our test car’s Driver Assistance pack ($1500) takes that to $31,690 before on-roads. According to Volkswagen’s website, if you live in central Sydney, that car’s drive-away sticker is $35,615.

With optional premium paint ($520), the Kia Cerato GT looks kind of expensive at $32,510 until you realise that it’s a drive-away price. And given its rival-bashing list of standard equipment, that puts the Cerato at a distinct advantage. To put that value into context, the i30 N-Line DCT’s drive-away price is $33,745.

What are they like inside?

The biggest surprise is the Cerato GT … for two opposing reasons. Firstly, its interior is a bit of a knock-out – not quite as tactile in its lower cabin plastics as even the Ford, but classily styled, neatly arranged and brimming with cool design details. The outer ‘eyeball’ air vents are a delight to use – control direction with the centre toggle or just twist to close – the flat-bottomed steering wheel feels really good, and the driving position on funky ribbed and perforated leather chairs is terrific. Great forward vision too.

But the Cerato GT drops the ball big-time in the rear seat. There’s a tonne of leg room but the seat itself is far too reclined and unable to be adjusted for backrest rake. You end up craning your neck forward trying to sit more upright while attempting to hold your own weight, instead of the Cerato’s seat doing it for you. It’s downright tiresome. And you can only get a single 600ml water bottle in each door.

In contrast, its i30 N-Line cousin is remarkably different. Its matte-charcoal interior doesn’t have the sparkle of the Cerato GT’s, yet there’s a likeable cohesion in the presentation of its red-stitched seats and steering-wheel rim, its funky red seatbelts and its overall packaging.

The base i30 N-Line may miss out on full electric adjustment but its front seats are nicely huggy and its driving position is spot-on. And when you move into the back seat, it cedes legroom to the Cerato GT (due to a 50mm-shorter wheelbase) but the i30’s seat is much more supportive, both laterally and under your thighs. Its door pockets will also house three (small) bottles, with a larger trio in the front, and even though the base N-Line misses out on seat heating/cooling and a name-brand stereo, the generally sound nature of the rest of its design wins through.

Few could’ve expected the Focus ST-Line to be such a packaging success. Its front seats might be rather slender in size and a little lacking in bolstering, yet they’re really comfortable over longer distances and offer a vast range of adjustment. Same goes for the rear bench, with its class-best under-thigh and lumbar support, an elevated position, a near-flat floor, expansive fields of vision and excellent legroom. About the only (slightly) sour note is a lack of rear air vents, though the huge centre-dash pair are well-placed for proper air flow.

As for the Ford’s interior design, it’s all a bit too predictable. This car launched just six months ago in Europe, yet the Mk4 Focus looks like it could be from 2015. That said, it’s a huge leap forward from its messy predecessor. There’s plenty of storage, well-sorted ergonomics and the intuitive ease of Ford’s SYNC3 multimedia screen, pumping sound through six fairly solid speakers. Its carpeted door pockets – just like a Golf – are a nice touch and most of its plastics are squishy and tactile. But a car this handsome and a cabin this clever deserves more zing.

What the Focus does do is (finally) edge out the Golf for overall packaging and comfort. The Volkswagen doesn’t have the Ford’s rear-seat room, or as much under-thigh support, and its transmission tunnel is very tall. Yet there’s a resounding rightness about the Golf’s interior that continues to shine. Forget the razzle-dazzle of the Kia – the VW is about sober, beautifully constructed, well-designed minimalism. From its infinitely adjustable front seats to its superb centre-front armrest, perfectly positioned door handles, soft-feel plastics and overall design cohesion, this car is all about class. Even its stock stereo maintains that impression – strong and suitably slick.

The Corolla is a car of two halves. Ahead of the B-pillar, its armchair-like front buckets are a delight, its driving position is commanding, its head-up display useful, its air-con crisply cold and its steering wheel a tactile treat, but that’s about it. There isn’t enough storage, the rather clumsy and daggy multimedia set-up lacks Apple CarPlay, and despite having JBL speakers, its stereo isn’t bassy enough and doesn’t go loud enough.

Then there’s the rear half. Dark headlining and those oversized front seats make the rear quarters feel quite claustrophobic – especially for whoever’s behind the non-height-adjustable front passenger’s pew – and it suffers from a bunch of curious design flaws. The rear air vents are mounted very low in the centre console, the doors have no pockets – only useful can/bottle holders – and the roof grab handles are so far back they’re almost useless.

Finally, there’s the Corolla ZR’s miserable 217-litre boot. The floor height is set for the base model’s 16-inch steel spare, yet the ZR has a space-saver swimming in a needlessly large under-floor cavern. Alongside the excellent boots of its rivals – 428 litres for the Cerato, 395 litres for the i30, 380 litres for the Golf and a still-vast 362 litres for the Focus – the Corolla’s could well be a deal-breaker.

Which is the safest car?

All five hatches have been awarded the maximum five stars in ANCAP/Euro NCAP crash testing, though the Golf and i30 were awarded their scores before the latest individual ratings breakdown.

Thus, the Corolla ZR, Cerato GT, and Focus ST-Line can be looked at separately. The Corolla scored an outstanding 96 per cent for adult protection compared to 90 for the Kia and 85 for the Ford, though all three finished close for child protection (Ford – 87, Toyota and Kia – 83). The slant-fronted Toyota also clearly won the pedestrian protection score (86 per cent, versus 72 each for the Ford and Kia), though again all were close for safety-assist systems.

It should be pointed out that you need to add option packs to get every electronic safety gadget in the Focus and Golf, though they’re both affordable. More importantly, the Focus’s (switchable) adaptive cruise control with lane-keep and steering assistance is outstanding in its ability to aid the driver without becoming annoying. For that, it sets a new benchmark in affordable small cars.

The Cerato GT’s standard adaptive cruise control, on the other hand, is clunky, slow to react, and frustratingly incapable of maintaining a consistent speed on anything other than flat roads.

Warranty

Standard

Focus

5 Years

i30

5 Years

Golf

5 Years

Corolla

3 Years

Cerato

7 Years

How much do they cost to maintain?

Kia recommends servicing every 12 months or 15,000km for the Cerato GT, with its fixed-price servicing cost totalling $1104 for three years (45,000km) and $2051 for five years (75,000km) – neither of which are particularly cheap.

Not compared to the Corolla, anyway. Toyota’s fixed-price service amount is just $175 per visit – due every 12 months or 15,000km – meaning it’ll cost you $525 for three years or just $875 over five years.

Curiously, despite sharing the same drivetrain, Hyundai recommends servicing every 12 months or 10,000km for the i30 N-Line. That means at the three-year mark it’s only travelled 30,000km (not 45K), for a total of $807. Its five-year mark total is $1385, though that’s only for 50,000km. Extend that to 70,000km (or seven years) and the fixed cost is $2345.

Ford quotes $299 for every A and B service for the Focus ST-Line, and service intervals of 12 months/15,000km. At that rate, its three-year total is $897 and its five-year total is $1495.

Volkswagen’s servicing costs are more again, though they do claim it includes everything in the price. With each service expected every 12 months/15,000km, the Golf’s three-year total is $1356 whereas its five-year total is $2446 – making it arguably less expensive than the Hyundai, with less dealer visits.

Volkswagen has also upped its warranty – now five years/unlimited kilometres – and so has Toyota, matching VW’s coverage. Ford and Hyundai also offer five-year/unlimited-mileage warranties, whereas Kia continues to set the bar with seven years/unlimited kilometres.

According to The Red Book, the Corolla ZR is the resale king, retaining an estimated 60.5 per cent of its value after three years. The i30 N-Line’s expected value is surprisingly strong at 59.0 per cent, while the Golf’s once-class-leading residuals have slipped in recent years, rating a solid 57.5 per cent for the MY19 Comfortline.

Some distance behind, Ford’s new-gen Focus inherits its underperforming predecessor’s mediocre retained-value performance at 51.5 per cent for the ST-Line hatch, while the Cerato GT is even worse off at 51.0 per cent. Given Kia’s recent sales success, however, we’d expect that value to improve over time. Likewise the terrific new Focus.

CAR OF THE WEEK

What do they have under the bonnet?

In terms of engine capacity, we’re back to where small hatches were in the mid-’80s (though boosted by turbochargers), with the exception of the 2.0-litre Corolla. Yet Toyota’s decision to stick with natural aspiration and a CVT transmission (that includes a proper first gear to enhance take-off) isn’t the wrong one.

Producing 125kW/200Nm, the petrol Corolla has come a long way in this latest generation, to the point where its new-generation engine feels really strong and driveable. It loves being extended and sounds peachy-keen when doing so, though it lacks the punchy effortlessness of its turbo rivals and ultimately concedes performance to the boost-juiced Golf, Focus, Cerato and i30.

The Golf is next quickest, now featuring a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre direct-injection turbo four across the board and sounding sweeter than it ever has. There’s a seamless silkiness to Volkswagen’s best-seller, combined with superb torque delivery, and its seven-speed ‘DSG’ dual-clutch transmission feels more refined than Hyundai-Kia’s rival seven-speed DCT. The Golf also has the best Sport mode in the business – a simple pulse of the gearlever away from perking up transmission and throttle response.

Ford’s equivalent drivetrain is a new-to-Focus 1.5-litre three-cylinder direct-injection turbo-petrol, now with cylinder activation (it drops to two cylinders to save fuel in low-stress situations) and an eight-speed auto. Pumping out an impressively strong 134kW and an equally flexible 240Nm from 1750-5000rpm, it’s this engine’s charming induction thrum and unbridled effervescence that makes it such a delight. With so many gear ratios to choose from it can play both muscular and relaxed, and its slick idle-stop system is almost undetectable.

Pity the Focus’s transmission isn’t quite so unobtrusive. At parking speeds, it takes too long to engage reverse or drive, leaving you with the impression it’s a dual-clutch ’box disengaging neutral rather than a traditional auto.

The sports-flavoured Korean cousins share a gutsy 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre direct-injection turbo four transferring power through a seven-speed dual-clutch ’box. In terms of performance, the Cerato GT and i30 N-Line are a clear step ahead of the Focus and Golf, with urgent off-the-line grunt and properly growly induction sounds. The i30’s is more naturally sporty, whereas the Cerato’s gains an acoustic edge via an additional synthesised sound pumped through the stereo speakers. And when you flick the Kia’s gearlever neatly to the right to engage Sport mode, it amps up that gurgle even further.

Fear not though – it actually quite realistic and is never unpleasant. And Kia’s inability to calibrate an automatic transmission properly somehow doesn’t affect the performance-oriented Cerato GT.

Which is the most economical car?

Playing games with the Cerato GT’s induction sound may have contributed to its fuel thirst, though it’s more likely related to having half the mileage of the test i30 N-Line on its odometer. The Kia drank 9.3L/100km on test compared to 8.5L/100km for the identically engined (and 26kg lighter) Hyundai – both easily beaten by the Corolla and Golf on 7.4L/100km a piece.

However it’s the three-pot Focus that sets a new standard for small-car economy – a definite first for a turbo-petrol Ford. Despite being kicked along with encouraging enthusiasm, the Focus ST-Line drank just 5.2L/100km on our country test loop.

Which is the best car to drive?

Refreshingly, there isn’t a single hatch here that doesn’t bring a smile to its driver’s face, though for quite different reasons.

Of the three sports-tuned hatches, it’s the Focus ST-Line that sets the bar highest. The Australian-market hatch might miss out on the multi-link independent rear suspension fitted to every other ST-Line variant in the world (and our ST-Line wagon), but that takes little away from the dynamic excellence of this Blue Oval hatch.

It’s firm yet polished, with a beautifully damped ride at speed that somehow doesn’t seem possible given the brilliance of its handling. Point the Focus into a corner and it traces a line so accurate and so perfectly balanced that you can tell the limits of this warm hatch are way beyond what most people will ever explore. And its steering is superb, with a crisp lightness and an accuracy that’s brimming with finesse. Perhaps it could use a little more weight but that’s nit-picking.

The i30 N-Line and Cerato GT also handle extremely well – the Hyundai feeling more nuggety on the road, with meatier steering and slightly more disciplined damping over larger bumps; the Kia offering crisper steering and slightly sharper handling, but also a constantly knobbly and sometimes jiggly ride that only settles down when carrying a load. Compared to Korean cars past, they represent a stunning turn-around when it comes to dynamics, and even their tyres – high-end 225/40ZR18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4s – are at the cutting edge of performance footwear in 2019. But they’re noisier than the Focus (albeit not by much) and lack that supreme overall polish that marks the European Ford.

The Golf has always been Teflon-smooth and dynamically suave, and that continues with the 110TSI Comfortline – proving that you don’t need sports-tuned underpinnings to have a good time. That said, the enjoyment in hustling a Golf comes from its inherent balance and its effortless ease of progress. There’s something really satisfying in enjoying the way a car flows down the road without flinching, and its that unflappability that defines the Golf.

The Corolla feels similar. Delightfully keen steering and lovely handling poise define this Toyota hatch’s newfound level of involvement. Yet this ZR version ultimately doesn’t live up to its sporting looks. The 225/40R18 Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 050 tyres wrapped around its pretty 18-inch alloys add a small amount to the Corolla’s handling purchase but they also howl at relatively low speeds, and take more away from its supple ride than they add to its dynamics. And they’re loud – transmitting an all-pervading amount of tyre roar that is the loudest here (followed by the Cerato, i30, Focus, then Golf).

Any problems I should look out for?

Given the not-so-stellar reputation for dual-clutch transmissions to pull off varied driving environments without fault, it’s interesting that three of the five hatches here are dual-clutch ‘automatics’. However, the DCT ’boxes in the Hyundai and Kia are designed for higher-output engines, while the DSG transmission in the current Golf is a wholesale redevelopment (for less costly servicing and simpler repair) of its trouble-prone predecessor.

Ford and Toyota have both suffered similar issues – Ford with its now-discontinued ‘Powershift’ dual-clutch and Toyota with its old CVT – so the all-new transmissions in their place promise a longer and more reliable life.

Which one should I buy?

Firstly, all these five hatches are really good cars and really strong contenders. In isolation, all of them present persuasive arguments as to why they should be in your driveway, and we can totally understand why someone may be swayed by the look of one or the brand of another. You can’t really go wrong here.

But it’s the Corolla ZR that finishes fifth. Smooth and stylish and sweet as the new Corolla may be, the flagship ZR deserves a rethink in its multimedia system, its front-seat packaging and range of adjustment, and that silly, space-robbing boot floor. As a two-person city car, it’s terrific. As a proper five-door hatchback designed to take everything life can muster, the new Corolla struggles.

The Cerato GT just sneaks ahead of it, thanks to its sharp styling, sharp handling, and sharp price. It’s a good-looking, roomy and fun-to-drive warm hatch with plenty going for it. But its poorly designed back seat will be a real problem for teenagers or adults on long trips, and its agitated ride could prove irritating.

Weirdly, despite being older and smaller, the i30 N-Line is better. It’s more comfortable in its seating, more consistent in its dynamic behaviour, and more cohesive overall. The fact that it carries so much N-inspired goodness for such a big price saving is exactly what people want in a warm hatch. And yet it’s highly practical, with strong resale backing it up down the track.

The Golf has long been the reigning small-hatch king when it comes to all-round ability, yet the Focus ST-Line actually beats it in a bunch of useful ways. The Ford is roomier, more comfortable in the rear seat, more efficient, more rewarding to drive, and also more interesting to look at. It’s not as seamlessly finished, or quite as polished, as its still-great German rival, but there’s an X-factor in the Focus’s fabulous handling, steering and engine performance that make you want to keep on driving it. Finally, a Blue Oval small hatch deserving of the Laser’s 1980s success.

Having completed an Arts degree in English Literature and Film, Ponch started out at Hot 4s & Performance Cars magazine in 1997, honing his distaste for bodykits and commercial doof-doof, before editing Australian Volkswagen magazine, then kicking off a 17-year career at ACP/Bauer as Staff Journalist for WHEELS in 2001.